


History, Snatched from the Jaws of Defeat

by Himring



Series: Pengolodh [2]
Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Fall of Gondolin, Gen, Gondolin, Historians
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-13
Updated: 2016-11-13
Packaged: 2018-08-30 19:48:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8546791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Himring/pseuds/Himring
Summary: The historian Pengolodh, faced with the destruction of his city, rescues what he holds most dear.





	

He picked up the book, found the stack was now too awkward to carry, ripped down the curtain and improvised a kind of sling.

The din of battle, not far off--and flames in the night sky, perhaps even closer.

Oh, Gondolin, Gondolin!

'What are you doing?' shouted Galdor, seeing him come stumbling along the street, weeping. 'You need to be unencumbered to fight, Pengolodh!'

'Hush, Galdor', said Glorfindel. 'Pengolodh, stay at my back. But if it's a question of the books or your life, drop the books.'

Pengolodh nodded mutely, clutching them even more tightly.

Gondolin's story would live.

**Author's Note:**

> Pengolodh carrying books of history--some written by others, some his own--on the flight from Gondolin is canonical, according to Tolkien's essay "Quendi and Eldar".
> 
> I learned this from Dawn Felagund's bio of Pengolodh--and the recent Tolkien Weekly prompt "S/he picked up the book" reminded me of this.


End file.
